296 Br. R, D. Thomson [Oct. 



New barley requires a longer period before it acquires this 

 property than old does ; and higg attains this consistence 

 in a shorter period than barley. By this preliminary step 

 the grain undergoes a partial germination. It absorbs water 

 and swells ; English barley increasing \ in bulk, Scotch 

 barely J-, and bigg \. 



In less than 24 hours after the grain has been introduced 

 into the steep, the water begins to acquire a brown colour, 

 and a peculiar odour. If this water is evaporated to dryness 

 a blackish-brown residue possessing a disagreeable taste 

 remains, which consists of extractive and nitrate of soda, 

 amounting in weight, to ^V^^'xiiy of that of the grain em- 

 ployed. About -3 oVtt^^ ^^ its weight of carbonic acid is like- 

 wise emitted, which remains dissolved in the water, and con- 

 tinues to be disengaged after the grain has been taken out 

 of the steep. And hence it is, that in ten days the grain not 

 only looses all its additional weight, but gradually becomes 

 lighter than at first. Thus, 100 grains of barley become, by 

 steeping, 135. Exposed to the air for ten days they become 

 93-8. After a month they weigh 96*4, and after two months 

 100*8. Edwards, Colin, and Becquerel, have found that by 

 causing grain to vegetate in water, acetic acid, sugar, and 

 fermenting matter were secreted. The circumstance of the 

 it forms of carbonic acid, in this first stage, shews us that 

 evolution the preliminary step to germination. 



The grain, after remaining in the steep, as has been said, 

 for a period of not less than 40 hours, is drained. It is then 

 cast, or removed, from the steep to the floor, where it is 

 spread out in a rectangular form, to the depth of 16 inches, 

 for the purpose of being gauged ; in this state it remains for 

 26 hours. The barley in the couch always occupies a greater 

 space than in the cistern, from the absence of the pressure 

 of superincumbent grain. This increase, which is very great 

 in small quantities, diminishes proportionally to the increase 

 of the quantity of grain. Thus, if 3 cubic inches of barley 

 are placed in a cylindrical glass jar, graduated to tenths of 

 an inch, and are covered with water, in 96 hours the swell 

 will be 0-3 inch, or -^^ of the whole ; but, upon inverting 

 the vessel so as to shake the grain to the other end, it will 

 occupy a bulk of 4*2 inches, indicating a swell of more 

 than ^. , 



